Practical Horticulture Meets Smart Market Decisions at Huhu Gardens

• Season 3 Episode 1: In this episode of Flower Farming in New Zealand, Jo Robinson chats with Mike Foster from Huhu Gardens in Huntly, a grower who has built a successful flower business by combining practical horticulture knowledge with smart market decisions.

• Mike shares his journey from nursery work and dairy farming to commercial flower farming, explains how his unique microclimate influences what he grows, and dives deep into practical production strategies for ranunculus, anemones, hydrangeas, and marigolds.

• The conversation covers everything from greenhouse design and plant spacing to selling through wholesalers, giving listeners real-world insights into running a profitable flower farm in New Zealand.

• Whether you're a new grower, an experienced flower farmer, or simply love learning about how flowers are produced, this episode is packed with valuable advice.

• In This Episode Jo and Mike discuss:

• How Huhu Gardens got its memorable name

• Mike’s journey from nursery growing to milking 800 cows to running a flower farm

• Transitioning from export hydrangeas to selling foliage locally

• Why ranunculus and anemones are valuable early-season crops

• The tunnel house setup that produces longer, high-quality stems

• Growing marigolds for the wholesale market

• Selling flowers through wholesalers vs auctions

• Managing quality control and reputation in the flower market

• Why foliage can sometimes be more profitable than flowers

• Growing in a warm Huntly microclimate (with bananas and citrus!)

• The importance of volume, consistency, and market demand

• Why new flower farmers should talk to wholesalers before planting

• Lessons learned from 20+ years in the flower industry

• Episode Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction

• 00:02 Meet Mike Foster from Huhu Gardens

• 02:50 From nursery work to dairy farming to flower farming

• 04:00 Early crops: callas, statice, and hydrangeas

• 05:00 Growing ranunculus and anemones in tunnels

• 07:00 Plant spacing and production volumes

• 10:00 Tunnel house design and microclimate mesh

• 13:00 Seasonal crop schedule at Huhu Gardens

• 15:00 Growing the Coco series marigolds

• 16:40 Hydrangeas: export markets and shifting to foliage

• 19:00 Selling through wholesalers vs auctions

• 21:00 Maintaining quality and grower reputation

• 24:00 Hydrangea production and shade growing

• 28:00 Chiller management and flower storage

• 30:00 Rainfall and climate differences across NZ

• 33:00 Summer weather challenges and storms

• 36:00 Growing gypsophila and amaranthus

• 40:00 Ranunculus production tips and disease management

• 44:00 Using shade cloth in tunnels

• 46:00 Advice for new flower farmers

• 50:00 Lessons from decades in flower farming

• 54:00 Growing lavender and enjoying the farm

• About the Podcast

• Flower Farming in New Zealand explores the realities of growing flowers commercially across New Zealand’s diverse climates. Hosted by Jo Robinson, the podcast features growers, florists, and industry experts sharing practical advice and real experiences.

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• Music Credit: Credit for some of the music in this episode goes to Shane Ivers - Happy Clappy Ukulele

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